CELEBRITY Big Brother star India Willoughby has revealed that she hasn’t washed her clothes for a year.
The presenter claims that ditching the detergent has made her clothes look better than ever.
Taking to Twitter she wrote: “I stopped washing my clothes about a year ago (bar undies) and my wardrobe has never looked better.
“Why would you buy a nice piece, stick it in a metal drum with hot water and detergent, and slap it about for an hour? Bonkers. Trust me #stopwashing”
The former BBC news presenter claimed that she never “pongs” even though she doesn’t use deodorant but her followers were keen to know how she cleaned stains.
India replied: “I only clean if absolutely necessary. And then I just do the area by dabbing it in the sink. Mildest product can find. Or steam the spot with a kettle.
“If you hang your clothes in a wardrobe and keep them spaced, will last forever. Washing destroys fibres and drains colour.”
However, India’s followers were far from convinced, replying to the tweet with their own thoughts.
One wrote: “I spill far too much for this to be practical in my household, but whatever works for you.”
Another added: “It is a matter of hygiene. It is like taking your bath.”I get far too much enjoyment out of the fresh, squeaky clean and crisp feeling… but good for you!”
Dr Holly Kaye-Smith of Western Sydney University told Whimn that “simple changes to our fashion and laundry habits can help combat climate change” as well as cutting down on our weekly chores.
Along with reducing dryer usage and choosing the right laundry products, here’s how you can cut back on your weekly washing.
Only wash clothes that are dirty
It may sound obvious but this is something we’re probably all guilty of at one point or another.
According to Dr Kaye-Smith, only seven per cent of the clothes we wash are actually in need of a spin in the machine. Mind-boggling, right?
If your clothes aren’t smelly or stained, then hold off on washing them.
After all, you only need to wear these items at least once more to halve the contents of your laundry basket.
Sponge wash your clothes instead of putting them in the washing machine
Let’s face it – we’ve all experienced the pain of spilling ketchup on a freshly-washed white t-shirt.
But instead of bundling it up in the machine for an emergency wash, Dr Kaye-Smith recommends using a sponge to treat the stain before leaving the item out to try.
That way, you don’t waste energy washing an item that is (for the most part) clean.
Cut back on dryer usage and hang clothes outside
Although we may have to wait a few months before we can try out this tip for ourselves, it will be well worth it when we do.
Unlike bundling all our washing in a dryer, hanging clothes outside means they have access to the sun’s UV rays which act as a natural whitener.
What’s more, UV rays also kill germs which makes it well worth skipping the dryer once the weather warms up.
Refresh clothes before washing
In the same way that you can sponge down a stain, there are a few simple things you can do to “refresh” your clothes instead of washing them.
If you’re concerned a top you’ve own once is already starting to smell, dousing the armpits with a little lemon juice or vodka is one way to disguise the smell.
Alternatively, hanging your clothes out to steam after you’ve had a hot shower is another way to freshen up your wardrobe.
Choose environmentally-friendly products
While it may not seem like much more a difference, using a mild detergent that’s grey water safe is a small way you can combat climate change.
Meanwhile, cutting back on fabric softeners is another easy way to make your washing more eco-friendly as they can contain chemicals harmful to animals.
In other cleaning news, this mum put her kid’s booster seat in the dishwasher and it came out perfect.
And this gross video reveals exactly how dirty your “clean” clothes are.
Plus this woman strip washes her rug using fabric softener and the disgusting result will give you the shivers.
